Wait for approval in Canada

[WallyR]

Hi guys,

I would like to sponsor my wife (family class).
Right now I'm gathering all the necessary documents.
We are living together in Germany.
I am a Canadian citizen (and so are our two children. Application for proof of citizenship is being processed).
We would like to move to Manitoba in April next year so we can settle in during the summer.

What are the odds of having our application approved before April?

And would we be able to go to Canada without first receiving approval? I found another thread where the same question was asked and apparently it should not be a problem for my wife to enter the country. However, going back to Germany after her visitor visa expires would not be an option. Are there ways to ensure that we can stay together?

It would be nice to hear from someone who has done it this way and is willing to share their story

 

[scylla]

Hi guys,

I would like to sponsor my wife (family class).
Right now I'm gathering all the necessary documents.
We are living together in Germany.
I am a Canadian citizen (and so are our two children. Application for proof of citizenship is being processed).
We would like to move to Manitoba in April next year so we can settle in during the summer.

What are the odds of having our application approved before April?

And would we be able to go to Canada without first receiving approval? I found another thread where the same question was asked and apparently it should not be a problem for my wife to enter the country. However, going back to Germany after her visitor visa expires would not be an option. Are there ways to ensure that we can stay together?

It would be nice to hear from someone who has done it this way and is willing to share their story

Is your wife German?

 

[WallyR]

Yes, she is

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi guys,

I would like to sponsor my wife (family class).
Right now I'm gathering all the necessary documents.
We are living together in Germany.
I am a Canadian citizen (and so are our two children. Application for proof of citizenship is being processed).
We would like to move to Manitoba in April next year so we can settle in during the summer.

What are the odds of having our application approved before April?

And would we be able to go to Canada without first receiving approval? I found another thread where the same question was asked and apparently it should not be a problem for my wife to enter the country. However, going back to Germany after her visitor visa expires would not be an option. Are there ways to ensure that we can stay together?

It would be nice to hear from someone who has done it this way and is willing to share their story

The odds of being approved before April are very low.

She can come as a visitor while the PR app processes. She will enter as a visitor, not as someone coming to live here or move here, as she will not yet have that right. She can extend her visitor status if the PR app is still in process.

 

[salamiz]

She can enter as visitor, and try renew her visitor visa from inside Canada. When you wait for your application's processing inside Canada, there are 3 main challenges, being asked for an interview, being asked for new police certificate, being asked for re-medical. if any of 3 happens, you'll need to contact visa office and have that arranged while she's inside canada.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

She can enter as visitor, and try renew her visitor visa from inside Canada. When you wait for your application's processing inside Canada, there are 3 main challenges, being asked for an interview, being asked for new police certificate, being asked for re-medical. if any of 3 happens, you'll need to contact visa office and have that arranged while she's inside canada.

She's German and they have 2 children, so pretty much no chance of an interview. Police certificates can generally be obtained anywhere and medicals can be done in Canada without have to arrange anything with the VO.

 

[WallyR]

Thank you all for responding.

I am supposed to send the application to Sydney, Nova Scotia. Just in case my wife is invited to an interview, would she really have to go to Vienna for that?

And has anyone tried to apply for an extended visitor visa before coming to Canada? I think I am going to contact the office in Vienna and ask if that would be something we could do. We really don't want to stay in Germany much longer and it would be great if we could just wait in Canada for the approval.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you all for responding.

I am supposed to send the application to Sydney, Nova Scotia. Just in case my wife is invited to an interview, would she really have to go to Vienna for that?

And has anyone tried to apply for an extended visitor visa before coming to Canada? I think I am going to contact the office in Vienna and ask if that would be something we could do. We really don't want to stay in Germany much longer and it would be great if we could just wait in Canada for the approval.

Unless there are some serious red flags you haven't mentioned, there will not be an interview.

She can't apply for an extended visa before coming to Canada. She will enter as a visitor and can extend her status if necessary. Zero point in contacting the VO in Vienna.

 

[Luthien]

We also are thinking about moving in April or May already and I doubt that our application will be done processing by then.
One thing I was wondering about though is how to enter as a visitor if you have to declare any goods that you are bringing with you. Would the Canadian partner just declare it all as his stuff because he is returning and they are fine with that? It makes it a little more obvious that I am not just a visitor if I have a shipping company ship all our stuff, right? I read in another post that you should tell them your intention to wait for the process to finish while in Canada but it really makes me scared to not be accepted in even though when we visited last year, they gave me a stamp without any further questions. I didn't have to declare any goods though because it only was a visit.

 

[WallyR]

I asked someone at the local immigration office about this and he said they don't like to let people in who are having their application processed. But here in this forum a lot people say that is exactly what they have done (in a lot of cases without any problems). And even on the official website they say it is possible to enter the country but they "advise against making definite arrangements". I am also worried about my wife not being allowed to enter or her visitor visa not being extended. If the children and I are Canadian, would they really send my wife back or am I just being anxious?

My application for a permanent resident visa is currently being processed at the Embassy. Can I go to Canada as a tourist and wait for my visa there?
You may travel to Canada as a tourist before you get your permanent resident visa. However, we strongly advise against making any definitive arrangements for your stay in Canada until you have received your permanent resident visa.
You will need to apply for a visitor visa to travel to Canada as a tourist.
Please note that having a valid visitor visa does not guarantee your entry into Canada. A border services officer will decide if you can enter Canada and how long you can stay.

That last sentence kind of bothers me...

 

[canuck_in_uk]

We also are thinking about moving in April or May already and I doubt that our application will be done processing by then.
One thing I was wondering about though is how to enter as a visitor if you have to declare any goods that you are bringing with you. Would the Canadian partner just declare it all as his stuff because he is returning and they are fine with that? It makes it a little more obvious that I am not just a visitor if I have a shipping company ship all our stuff, right? I read in another post that you should tell them your intention to wait for the process to finish while in Canada but it really makes me scared to not be accepted in even though when we visited last year, they gave me a stamp without any further questions. I didn't have to declare any goods though because it only was a visit.

The foreign spouse cannot bring all of their stuff to Canada when entering as a visitor. Not only is it a great way to be refused entry and possibly issued a 1 year Exclusion Order but you do not benefit from the exemption of paying customs and duties and all that until you become a PR. Anything being shipped to Canada must be in the name of the returning Canadian or must arrive after you become a PR.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I asked someone at the local immigration office about this and he said they don't like to let people in who are having their application processed. But here in this forum a lot people say that is exactly what they have done (in a lot of cases without any problems). And even on the official website they say it is possible to enter the country but they "advise against making definite arrangements". I am also worried about my wife not being allowed to enter or her visitor visa not being extended. If the children and I are Canadian, would they really send my wife back or am I just being anxious?

My application for a permanent resident visa is currently being processed at the Embassy. Can I go to Canada as a tourist and wait for my visa there?
You may travel to Canada as a tourist before you get your permanent resident visa. However, we strongly advise against making any definitive arrangements for your stay in Canada until you have received your permanent resident visa.
You will need to apply for a visitor visa to travel to Canada as a tourist.
Please note that having a valid visitor visa does not guarantee your entry into Canada. A border services officer will decide if you can enter Canada and how long you can stay.

That last sentence kind of bothers me...

Immigration is not CBSA and vice versa. CBSA is actually very lenient with spousal sponsorship applicants because the applicant has shown that they are following the proper procedure to legally live in Canada. CBSA also knows that the majority of sponsorship applications are approved, so the person is a low risk to overstay.

The last sentence is there simply because no foreign national ever has the right to enter Canada. The final decision is always with the CBSA officer at the POE.

You are just being anxious. Many people, my partner and I included, have come to Canada with a sponsorship app in process. It is not an issue.

 

[Luthien]

The foreign spouse cannot bring all of their stuff to Canada when entering as a visitor. Not only is it a great way to be refused entry and possibly issued a 1 year Exclusion Order but you do not benefit from the exemption of paying customs and duties and all that until you become a PR. Anything being shipped to Canada must be in the name of the returning Canadian or must arrive after you become a PR.

That is what I thought. But would they accept us entering as a family and claiming that all the goods are my husband's and our kids'? That is what I was wondering because obviously most things are shared. We don't actually plan to bring much furniture. I believe that most the stuff will actually be kids stuff. But I would like to bring a bunch of sewing supplies and I mean, there are men that sew, but I don't like lying so I guess it would be dishonest to declare it as my husband's.

What did you guys do when you moved before the application was finished? Did you not bring much or did you ask the shipping company to ship it after your application was approved?